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Trumpington Meadows

Outline planning permission for the Trumpington Meadows development on Cambridge's southern fringe was issued on 9 October 2009 following the signing of a legal agreement with joint developers Grosvenor, the Universities Superannuation Scheme and bpha (Bedfordshire Pilgrims Housing Association). The development includes proposals to demolish the former Monsanto buildings in Cambridge and the building of 1200 new homes, a primary school and a 60 hectare country park between Trumpington and Hauxton Mill, two new road accesses, a primary school including a community facility, a local centre, new and improved footpaths and cycleways, plus open space, recreation facilities and children's play space.

The Trumpington Meadows site has been able to move forward with 40% affordable housing, despite the economic downturn, thanks to a landmark deal struck between the local authorities, Cambridgeshire Horizons, bpha (representing Cambridgeshire Partnerships) and the developers/ owners of the site to help the financial viability of the scheme and support an early start to house building.

An agreement has been put in place by Cambridgeshire Horizons to provide Grosvenor and USS with a £4.5 million loan from the Housing Growth Fund to ensure an agreed rate of home building and the delivery of a new primary school with community facilities in the first phase of the development. Crucially, as homes begin to be sold, the loan will be repaid by the developers and so will be available to future developments. This innovative, flexible approach to using Housing Growth Funds is understood to be the first of its kind in the country.

The Trumpington Meadows development is the first of four proposed housing developments for the southern fringe of Cambridge to receive outline planning permission following the completion of the Two other major developments - at Clay Farm and Glebe Farm on the southern and eastern edges of Trumpington - were also approved by the Joint Development Control Committee in 2008.